STRATEGIC EFFORTS 

ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY BY REDUCING HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES 

Early in 2022, the Institute of Medicine of Chicago defined it primary strategic initiatives resulting from its  bi-annual convening , 8th State of Health of Chicago held in late 2020-2021.  This convening serves as the 'report card' to evaluate conditions and determine initiatives for advancing health equity by reducing healthcare disparities for the next two years efforts.

The following programmatic initiatives were defined and programs and efforts throughout the year support these main areas. In late 2022- early 2023,  Pathways to Lead- Children and Communities were added to the original set of programs from the State of Health of Chicago.  Download a copy of the Strategic Program Plan here. 

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 Maternal and Child Health 

·       Improve access to entry-level OB care 

·       Establish a Level II Ultrasound OB facility on the south side 

·       Address transportation issues for people seeking upper-level OB care 

•  Promote the importance and necessity of Implicit Bias Training - hospitals and providers, and educate patients 

·       Create an open network for OB care for Medicaid-managed care plans 

·       Address the issue of malpractice rates for OB-GYN physicians 

 

Homelessness 

·       Continue to promote and support homelessness(unsheltered) as a public health issue as part of the critical infrastructure

·       Ensure the system addresses all issues (medical and non-medical) in treating the homeless (unsheltered)

·       Collaborate with agencies and groups to identify and integrate quality of living against homelessness(unsheltered)

·       Secure safe housing and security for the unsheltered

Behavioral Health 

• Identify the mental health challenges and improve options for care 

• Describe the opioid crisis and its relationship to behavioral health 

• Relate the human, economic and social impact to costs to communities 

Nursing Home Reform 

·       Address the racism issues that still affect nursing homes in Chicago 

·       Identify how to address the staffing issues faced by nursing homes 

·       Continue to support the importance of communications with nursing home residents and their families

DCFS Placement Crisis 

·       Improve placement of youth in psychiatric hospitals beyond medical necessity

·       Improve follow-up of youth in psychiatric hospitals beyond medical necessity

·       Address accountability and compassionate empathy

 A new initiative was added in late 2022- early 2023! 

Pathways to Lead - Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children  and Communities

(Collaboration with The Lead Abatement Resource Center Foundation)

·       Develop a Community Education Program - primary focus 'hot zip codes' with elevated lead levels, then communities and groups

·       Provide assessment and solutions,  as a collaborative partner. to parents, county Dept. of Health, educators, communities, and groups - focused        on reducing elevated blood lead levels , supporting healthy cognitive development in children, and disease prevention

• Identify, manage and and create healthy wellbeing

·      Act as a collaborative research partner in disease prevention, environmental health, and community health management

 Telehealth 

(Incorporated within programmatic issues)

·       Continue to support the use of telehealth in mental healthcare 

·       Continue to support and advocate for telehealth in public, community health, and population health  

Don't miss the video library from the 2020-2021 State of Health of Chicago!  Check out the videos here. 

More videos on these topics can be found in our expanded video library here. 

                                            

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Deborah Hodges, MA-IDS, IOMC, at dhodges@iomc.org

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